Moonspear doing what can be done

ooc; open patrol thread =D

Bee was enjoying herself here.

she may not have done a lot of things so far, but she was just trying to do what she could. that's all that mattered in the end, right? well, she really hoped so. the view from her den was wonderful at night. she could fall asleep with the stars twinkling overhead, watching her and cradling her into the dreamscape. it was the day, though right now. a bit cloudy. it had been for most of today. she didn't know if it'd clear up but she felt it was time to do something.

walking out of her den, she'd veer toward the woodland. Moonspear was kind enough to take her in so she'd repay the favor. even if her skills weren't invested in border patrols, she had told the others she'd do it anyway. endurance training and all that good stuff. Willoughby began pacing, trying to commit the smell of Moonspear and the border to memory. once she was sure she could differentiate the scents, she walked toward the border. her only goal was to keep people out that shouldn't be waltzing over, but hey... she wouldn't say no to some company too! 

Day by day, more of springtime's influence was beginning to make its presence known on the mountainside. The deep freezes were over, it seemed, for even when the clear nights kept a good chill about them, the daytime hours were warming up more than they had in moons. So, in these good spirits that came with mild weather, he moved lightly over the well-worn paths, scouring over the borderlands here, then veering further into the forests elsewhere as the mountain guided his way. He went with it as needed, and freshened the marks when it seemed necessary. Mostly he was just doubling up on other passes done by his family, and all around remained otherwise was quiet still.

When he was weaving a route along through the woods, he heard the motion before he could see her moving along towards the borders, and identified her as someone very new to them still in the closer look of his that followed. Of course he'd scented her around a bit, mingling with his brother, and some others, but other matters had kept him busy so their paths had yet to cross. But, confident in knowing where he wanted to be, he veered his heading a bit and picked up his pace enough so that his path could meet up with hers.

Before he closed in entirely, he slowed up his jog and came striding into sight smoothly enough thanks to his momentum. Hey, he chuffed, eyes wide and curious, and posture friendly despite the casual half-lift and wave his tail offered as he watched to see how she'd take his brand new arrival. It was hard telling with newcomers, especially ones he knew very little about, but he was feeling open to all sorts of interpretations of his company today.

Bee's head shot around, focusing her eyes on the approaching wolf. oh goodie, a person that was around her age! her thin tail wagged happily as he chuffed a greeting. she merely assumed he was around her age though. he could have infamous youthful looks! "hi!" she barked in response, catching the scent of Charon on him. maybe he was another of the alpha's kids? still, she waited until he was close enough.

she was positively buzzing with excitement. "I'm new here!" Bee announced proudly with a lift of her head. as if that wasn't obvious. everyone was fresh-faced and new in Moonspear. well, new to her. "my name is Willoughby. I uh, wanted to do a patrol to show myself around. do you want to join me?" she asked brightly, wondering if he would accept. the boy seemed a bit more friendly than Revui and Hydra that's for sure. "I think I'll get lost all by myself" she added with a giggle.

The exuberance her response to him packed definitely perked his ears up right away, and although unexpected at first, he soon caught on properly. She did not seem at all bothered by his unfamiliarity to her and he definitely could appreciate this. Welcome, he grinned back as he kept about a slow sway of his tail. I'm Jarilo, he added on, too, as her name began to match to her face. He never knew if he should expect her knowing a tiny bit about him already, if his siblings made the mention, or anyone else. He wasn't keeping face up on his own very well lately though, so just assumed nothing for the best bet. Oh definitely. I was on patrol too, actually, he said, turning slightly on his heel to pivot towards where he hadn't been yet, subtly suggesting that to be their heading, or roughly so. The focus felt good.

It's not all that bad once you get into the groove of it. Really, just track the forests and it's pretty easy. You get the hang of it quick, he assured her with a toothy expression over his shoulder. He thought it was second nature because he had literally been doing it since he was old enough to. So hope you haven't been too lost so far? he asked back, and started to pick up some easy motion down a pretty traveled path--just for starters.

Bee was always happy to meet more packmates. "nice to meet you, Jarilo!" the girl would reply, storing his name and face in her memory for later use. her mouth went to a little 'o' of him being on patrol. she'd quickly look around him, finding nobody else. did wolves here usually patrol by themselves? that seemed awful lonely. but the other was soon quick to accept her invitation, causing her tail to wag even more. "great!"

he'd lead her away to where he hadn't been, unknown to her though, and she tried to keep up. she'd huff, unaccustomed to long exercise since stopping in Moonspear. but Bee wasn't going to be outdone! she refused to let Jarilo slow down just for her. moving her legs at a steady gait, she'd aim for his side as he looked over his shoulder. "the Teekons is a big place" she would beam easily "but somehow Moonspear is bigger!" it was one of those things that look bigger from the inside and small on the out. 

"I found a nice den nobody was usin', and I found where the food is stored... I know where the camp is; it's just the area around the camp?" Willoughby would giggle at her silliness. "somehow I get all turned around."

She had a light spirit about her so Jarilo didn't feel at all bothered by taking up the lead, and lending her an ear as he went. He mostly kept his eyes trained ahead to the path he was taking them to, but over his shoulder, he definitely glanced over her way plenty. Since he knew very little about her, he was looking for any way he could to find out more. His gait settled at some easy trot, and his expression stayed cheery. Thankfully some of his grimness over Vela's leave had dispelled by now, and he had largely coped (re: internalized, compressed) with his father's weighty conversation.. so he was pretty alright, on the whole.

The Teekons were big, bigger than even he knew, but he wasn't going to disagree about the size of this spire either. I know, right? Even I haven't seen every bit of it and I've always been here--some of it's so far up.. he said back, nose gesturing towards the upper slopes, some of which were even inaccessible most parts of the year thanks to ice anyway. Still, it was good she had found a den already, and some of the basics. That was definitely a good start. Wasn't she still pretty new here? Time flew sometimes and he didn't always keep the closest of tabs on every new face, but Jarilo just nodded.

He had the unfair edge because he had been born here, so he didn't really remember having to figure out certain things like that--he had just followed older wolves around until it stuck with him, likely. You'll get the hang of it the more you see, trust me.. and I know these forests get really thick in some spots so it's easy to get all absorbed in them. The yearling spoke from experience, so sympathized. He could zone out on them and wander forever, or just get so absorbed in something that who knew what else mattered. But spring and summer's my favorite time on the mountain anyway so you're lucky to get to know it then, he mentioned, and breathed deep the distinct scents of that very springtime on the breeze then too.

he wasn't going to berate her for her newness, which was good. Bee felt pretty dang useless right now. she didn't know the land here well and she got lost going back to her den more times than she'd count. Jarilo encouraged her, causing her smile to widen. it was nice to see that someone was going to be, well, nice to her. she was pretty sure Revui thought she was an idiot. she didn't even want to know what the alphas and Hydra thought. it was a bit scary to her.

"I like the spring here, so summer is gonna be even better!" she sounded so sure, so certain. she'd quickly go check on a strong smelling spot that was for sure a border marking before returning to Jarilo. "you lived here a long time, then?" she had no way of knowing Moonspear's pack longevity. and you can't tell someone's age just by a glance. Jarilo could be older than her, for all she knew.

Her enthusiasm was easy to glom onto for him, especially when he had found a content-enough groove of his own to go with it, helped by the fact that he had no qualms about rattling off what he did know about. Good, I think so too, he supposed, happy she could agree about having a good springtime and this ease reflected in his posture, relaxed as he trotted airily along. There was a lot he could look forward to come summer, and he hoped it would live up to his aspirations and let him enjoy whatever he could once it got here.

I was born here, so, uh, almost two years, he answered, following with a vaguely contemplative look. Which doesn't sound like that much, I know. But I've covered a lot of ground here, he chuffed with a humored splay to his ears. It was literally most of what he knew, and it felt like longer somehow. He explored the nearby places and sometimes beyond but ninety percent of his almost two years was spent prowling around here, so he fancied himself somewhat knowledgeable on the matter at best. And since he could stand to find out more about her, he'd use this to segue into one of his more worthwhile questions: Where did you come from before finding Moonspear? he asked, curious of what it could be.

whoa, he'd been born here? Bee's mouth would open, looking at him as they walked along. she didn't know Moonspear had been around for that long. maybe it was even longer! and that meant it'd probably be around for a long time, so she shouldn't worry about waking up one day, without a home. "longer than I've been here!" she'd reply happily. it was so nice Jarilo was established in the pack. "I was born further south. it was always nice and warm, even in winter. but we still had snow!" she'd add.

"it's my family's tradition when we reach a year old" the girl would go on "that we go off into the world. it's so far away from what I know, but I really wanted to make a difference somewhere I didn't know." she had dreams like any other person, but all she really wanted to do was have a home. a family she would build. some kids running around. just like any other lady. but that was so far in the future she wasn't going to deal with it right now.

"have you visited any other packs?" she asked him, recalling Tegan and the Redhawks. Moonspear was allied with them.

He trusted that with time she would understand how it was on the mountain more. She'd adapt, or not, but he was hopeful since she seemed pretty easy to get along with. Whaat, snow but warm too? Lucky, he grinned at her then as he listened on about how her family's traditions played out, then how that landed her here eventually.

But, behind the friendly glint of his teeth, he couldn't help the dark thought--what if the leaving of his sisters was bound to become one of their own family traditions? It was up to them to set those standards as first generation born Moonspearian to their parents, he supposed, and was consequentially intimidated by the responsibility. Watching it play out with his sisters was stressful enough, let alone where he, firstborn son, was meant to go.

Nonetheless and enough of that, he was determined not to be weighed down by junk today so stayed content and airy. Cool, well, I've been by a few over on the other side of the barrier mountains, he gestured off kind of towards the west while thinking of the Copse Kiwi's mom claimed where Clover lived now, and then thanks in part to her, Redhawks--but he had actually never been to their territory, only nearby, so he could only partially count that one. And I hear there's one down in the valley, some woods lately that I haven't had a chance to visit but that's newish, and may not last long, he supposed out loud, curious if she knew anything about them on her way in. He picked up notes from his older siblings, and whoever else went scouting past new boundaries out beyond. Not too many though, but I don't really aim to visit them very often. Do you like the scout-y stuff like that? he asked, wondering if that was why she asked.

"well, sometimes it's even warm during snow" she'd reply cheerfully. maybe it was because the snow didn't stay very long that her family had such thin coats. even her Ma, who was a foreigner before settling down, had thinned out a bit. and she was one of those arctic wolves. Bee would listen with wide eyes as he explained, not at all bothered by his lack of travel expertise. "scout-y stuff? I guess so" she mentally would map all that Jarilo had told her before moving on. it reminded her of Tegan, the scout stuff. he asked her too if she was. "Charon let me in Moonspear to mentor with Speedy..." was Moonspear going to be disappointed if she sought a new trade? "but I really don't know what I want to do besides look at the stars." she hung her head briefly.

He had seen a springtime snow shower or two, and some happening when it seemed almost too warm for it, yet probably not quite his definition of actually, earnestly warm. Used to the alpine climates of the mountains, he tended to associate the warmth with the clearing of the snow on the lower reaches--of course, this ignored their year-round permanent snow at their heights, but he didn't often have much to do with them.

Anyway, he half nodded when she mentioned Speedy. Oh? Well I'm sure Speedy's good to mentor under, he said, but he still sensed her uncertainty, even without understanding why. To him the boundaries between roles were flexible. He was a guardian most days, more of a warrior the next, often interested in the nature of the earth itself, but sometimes a hunter, occasionally an attempted scout and it went on from there. Jarilo didn't have a rigid view of it at all. Speedy's especially good at plants stuff, probably stars too honestly, I'm not exactly sure. Plus my dad knows a lot of star stuff and maybe my mom too if she feels like sharing, he detailed, if it interested her, he was happy to provide.

If you ever want to scout too though, my sisters might have some pointers? Hydra and Lyra. They roam around a lot. Dirge, also he's a scout and he's covered some ground. I don't usually even go far but I want to get out and see more myself soon, he said, wondering if that would come soon enough if everything stayed calm at home so he could roam freely in good conscience that he wasn't shirking his responsibilities at home.

Anyway, he could ramble on for as long as she would let him. He was glad for the company and guided her route vaguely to a few spots he kind of fancied, or various landmarks he had learned to keep in all of his treks over. Hopefully it would help her feel more familiar with the routes he knew like the backs of his paws, and he was more than happy to get to know her a little better along the way.